For You I'd Steal a Goat

In spring 2022 we published the Geman translation of Niq Mhlongo’s short story ‘For You I’d Steal a Goat’ from the short story collection ‘For You, I’d Steal a Goat’ published by Kwela Books in 2022. This hilarious story takes his readers on a ride between countries and cultures and into places, as crazy as Berlin itself.

For the booklet launch, we had the honour to host the author in the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in spring 2021. The evening was moderated by our Literature Ambassador Alexandra Antwi-Boasiako. Our board member Venice Trommer translated the story and Adrian Wilkins did the amazing and spot on cover.

Niq Mhlongo is a Sowetan-born writer, educator, editor, and a travel journalist who graduated from Wits University with a BA degree (African Literature and Political Studies) in 1997. He has written four novels – Dog Eat Dog (2004), After Tears (2007), Way Back Home (2013), and Paradise in Gaza (2020)– and a collection of short stories, Affluenza (2016), and Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree (2018). He also edited a bestselling collection of essays called Black Tax, Burden or Ubuntu (2019), two short story anthologies called Joburg Noir (2020), and Hauntings (2021). He presents masterfully told stories rooted in South African life. With his characteristic keen observations and insights into human nature, he explores the things people do for each other but also to each other.

The booklet containing the story in both languages is still available against donations to our association. You will find at our bookshop InterKontinental (Sonntagstr. 26, 10245 Berlin) or write a short email to verein@interkontinental.org and we can also send it to you per post.